By Cheryl Jahn

Rio Tinto Presents To Council

Mar 26, 2018 | 9:10 PM

“People have concerns and have an interest in the water flow in the Nechako.”
Those were the words from Justus Benckhuysen, the Nechako Operations Coordinator for Rio Tinto Alcan during a presentation to Council last night.
Representatives from the aluminium giant made a presentation about a “water engagement initiative,” in which the company will try to “identify measures that Rio Tinto can make voluntarily over the years to address community interests.”
The scope may include interests relating to the Skins Spillway discharge, flow targets, water temperature targets and research programs.
Benckhuysen also gave Council an update on the current flow in light of the season. He says the Nechako reservoir levels are normal, and the snowpack is “of no concern.”
But it was Councillor Brian Skakun who called the company out.
“I’m afraid you’re at the losing end of a PR campaign,” he said, adding the government sold the water rights as far back at 1950.